Disputes have never respected national boundaries and continued globalization of business in the twenty-first century means that it is more important than ever before that clients and lawyers look beyond the horizon of their home jurisdiction.

This Review is testament to the fact that jurisdictions face common problems. Whether the issue is how to control the costs of litigation, which documents litigants are entitled to demand from their opponent or whether a court should enforce a judgment from another jurisdiction, it is fascinating to see the different ways in which different jurisdictions have grappled with these issues and, in some cases, worked together to produce a harmonized solution to international challenges.

Although at the time of writing the worst of the global recession that gripped many of the world’s economies has largely passed, it has left its mark. Old and new challenges and risks remain in many parts of the world such as renewed speculation on the future of the Eurozone, the sanctions imposed on Russia and oil price falls.

In some regions, the green shoots of recovery have blossomed whilst in others they continue to be nurtured carefully. Both circumstances bring their different challenges for those involved in disputes and, whilst the boom in insolvency-related disputes and frauds unearthed in the recession will remain, the coming year could see an increase in investment and acquisitions with a focus towards disputes concerning the contracts governing those investments.